Apparatus, Method and Core for Molding a Ceramic Discharge Vessel and Removing the Core

ABSTRACT

A method of molding a ceramic vessel includes compressing a water-soluble powder, suspending the compressed powder shape in a mold, injecting a ceramic molding mixture into the mold, and dissolving the compressed powder by flushing the vessel with water. A core for making an arc discharge vessel that has a discharge chamber and two capillaries includes a molded core of the water-soluble powder having a shape of the discharge chamber, and preferably two capillary-forming pins extending from the molded core. An apparatus for removing the molded core that includes a water reservoir that preferably flushes water through the vessel and dissolves molded core.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to the manufacture of ceramic vessels,such as arc discharge vessels for metal halide lamps. As illustrated inFIG. 1, a ceramic vessel 10 for a metal halide lamp has a hollow middlepart 12 and may have two hollow capillaries 14 that extend from themiddle part. In an arc discharge vessel, the hollow middle part 12 isthe arc discharge chamber and the capillaries 14 sealably receiveelectrodes that extend into the arc discharge chamber. In lamps, thevessel 10 is made of a ceramic material that is transparent ortranslucent, such as aluminum oxide or aluminum oxynitride.

A common method of molding such vessels has been to form the vessel fromseveral separate parts. For example, a cylindrical central portion maybe connected to two capillary end portions by the assembly of three tofive individual pieces of ceramic in a process that requires multiplefirings.

In lamps, vessel shape is a factor in lamp performance. One improvementis a “bulgy” design that has an elliptical shape, such as twohemispheres separated by a short cylindrical portion. The common methoddescribed above is not suitable to make this vessel shape. Bulgy vesselshave been made with a two-piece injection molding process in which twohalf parts are separately molded and then welded together, e.g., as inU.S. Pat. No. 6,620,272 to Zaslavsky et al. While vessels produced withthis method are generally acceptable, they have a visible center seam 5as shown in FIG. 1.

Another known method of molding a one-piece vessel is with a gel castingprocess that uses a core of a thermoplastic material that is removed bymelting. In this method, a fluid suspension is added to the spacebetween an exterior mold and the molded core. The fluid suspensionincludes a ceramic powder suspended in a liquid medium containing across-linking chemical. An activator or catalyst is added to the fluidsuspension just prior to filling the mold to initiate the cross-linkingprocess, and the suspension solidifies at completion of thecross-linking. The formed vessel is removed from the exterior mold andthen heated to melt the core that drains out of the vessel through anopening in the vessel wall.

A problem with this method has been the residence time needed for thecross-linking to form the vessel, which can vary from several minutes tohours depending on the materials selected. Longer residence timesrequire more molds and more space for high volume production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to obviate the disadvantages ofthe prior art.

To this end, the present invention provides a novel method of molding aone-piece hollow ceramic vessel, a molded core and apparatus for moldingthe vessel, and an apparatus for removal of the core from the moldedvessel, in each of which the molded core for defining the hollow chamberof the vessel is a compressed, water-soluble powder that is flushed outof the vessel with water.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel methodof molding a ceramic vessel that includes the steps of compressing thewater-soluble powder, suspending the compressed powder shape in a mold,injecting a ceramic molding mixture into the mold to form the dischargevessel, and dissolving the compressed powder shape by flushing thevessel with water.

A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a novel corefor molding an arc discharge vessel that has a discharge chamber and twocapillaries, where the core includes a molded core of the water-solublepowder having a shape of the discharge chamber, and twocapillary-forming pins extending from the molded core.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel apparatusfor molding the ceramic vessel that includes an exterior mold containingthe compressed powder shape.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentto those of skill in the art of the present invention afterconsideration of the following drawings and description of preferredembodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is cross-sectional illustration of a ceramic vessel of the priorart.

FIG. 2 is cross sectional illustration of a preferred molded core ofthis invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional illustration of a molded ceramic vesselillustrating a further method and apparatus for molding the vessel usingthe molded core of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a pictorial representation of a reservoir that provides waterfor dissolving the molded core of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the present invention includes anovel method of molding a ceramic vessel 20 with a hollow chamber 22, amolded core 24 for making the vessel 20, and an apparatus (shown in FIG.3) for molding the vessel 20. The molded core 24 for defining the hollowchamber 22 of the vessel 20 is a compressed, water-soluble powder thatis flushed out of the vessel with water. In general, powders that aresuitable for the present invention include those that are water-soluble,melt at a temperature above a temperature of an injected ceramic moldingmixture that forms the vessel, and hold their shape during injectionmolding. More particularly, the melting point of the compressed powdershould be higher than the melting point of the polymers and/or waxesused as the main ingredients of the ceramic molding mixture to avoidmelting the surface of the molded core 24 during molding of the vessel.

A typical ceramic molding mixture includes an alumina powder mixed witha wax binder or other thermoplastic material. The components, and inparticular the organics, in the ceramic molding mixture should notdissolve the molded core or cause pitting or roughening of the surfaceof the molded core. Further, the molded core should have a sufficientstrength to withstand the pressures of an injection molding process soas to avoid crumbling, erosion and cracking. The removable water-solublepowder that forms the molded core 24 desirably is low cost because thepowder preferably is used once and is easy to shape into the desiredcore geometry with a reasonable surface finish (minimal seam lines orburrs). Powders that are suitable include starch, sucrose, lactose,fructose, sorbitol, mannitol, dextrates, and polyethylene glycol waxpowders.

The water-soluble powder, once compressed into a shape that defines thehollow chamber of the vessel, may have a density of 1.2 to 1.6 gm/cc anda diametrical compression strength of 1 to 6 N/mm². These values werefrom test tablets that were about 13 mm in diameter and 5-6 mm high thatwere pressed at a load of 5000 pounds. Values outside these density andstrength ranges may also be acceptable provided that the compressedpowder retains its shape during use and is dissolvable with water.Particle sizes of commercially available powders are generallyacceptable (typically a median particle size of less than severalhundred micrometers), e.g., typical commercial excipient powders used inpharmaceutical products.

Examples of suitable commercial powders that are water soluble, meltabove a temperature of an injected ceramic molding mixture, and holdtheir shape during use include Pharma™ DC 93000 directly compressiblestarch, Sorbogem™ sorbitol, Sorbidex™ sorbitol, Carbowax™ 8000polyethylene glycol wax powder, Emdex™ dextrates, DiPac™ sugar,SugarTab™ sugar, Mannogem™ mannitol, and DCL™ 11 or 15 lactose.

A lubricant or release agent may be added to the powder or the corepressing die surfaces to improve compaction and release from the die.Magnesium stearate, used in some pharmaceutical tablet pressing (0.25 to1.0 weight percent), is suitable for the present invention when formingarc discharge vessels. Stearic acid and other similar lubricants arealso acceptable. Some materials, such as sorbitol, polyethylene glycoland starch, release well without an agent, while others, such asmannitol, dextrates and sugar, do better when a release agent film ofstearic acid is coated on the tools by dipping the punches in asaturated solution of stearic acid in methanol.

The time required to dissolve the compressed powder shape that forms themolded core 24 is a consideration when selecting which product to use.Longer dissolution time means that more core dissolving stations will beneeded and the manufacturing time per unit will be longer. For example,a test indicated that a compressed powder molded core for a 150 watt arcdischarge vessel dissolved in less than 10 minutes when the powder wasSorbogem™ sorbitol, Sorbidex™ sorbitol, or Emdex™ dextrates, while amolded core made of Carbowax™ 8000 polyethylene glycol powder took about25 minutes to dissolve.

Another consideration is whether the dissolved molded core leaves acontaminant residue on an interior surface of the vessel or otherwisecontaminates the ceramic of the vessel. In arc discharge vessels, thechemistry inside the arc discharge chamber is significant and theintroduction of a contaminant may change characteristics of lightemitting from the tube. A contaminant may also affect the properties ofthe ceramic, e.g., strength or translucency, by becoming incorporatedinto the ceramic when the vessel is sintered. For example, a smallamount of magnesium remains on the interior surface of the vessel whenmagnesium stearate is used as a lubricant. However, magnesium is afrequent dopant in polycrystalline alumina discharge vessels and thuswould not constitute a contaminant in such vessels. Stearic acidlubricant leaves no inorganic residue.

Powders that expand during dissolution (e.g., those that are designedfor quick dissolution) or release gases (e.g., antacid powders thatrelease CO₂) should be avoided as these powders may damage the moldedvessel, or in the latter case, restrict water flow into the vessel whileattempting to dissolve the molded core.

With reference again to FIGS. 2 and 3, a method and apparatus formolding a ceramic vessel 20 include the steps of compressing thewater-soluble powder into a shape of a discharge chamber of the vessel,suspending the compressed powder shape (the molded core 24) in anexterior mold 26, injecting a ceramic molding mixture 28 into theexterior mold 26 to form the vessel 20, and dissolving the compressedpowder shape (molded core 24) by preferably flushing water through thevessel 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the molded core 24 preferably has a hole32 therethrough to facilitate dissolution of the compressed powder. Thehole 32 may be formed while the molded core is in the press by using amodified press tool or die, or the hole may be formed later by drilling.

As shown in FIG. 3, the method may also include the step of insertingpins 30 into the compressed powder shape that forms the molded core 24to facilitate suspending the molded core 24 in the exterior mold 26. Thepins 30 also may be used to define the interior diameter of capillariesthat extend from the vessel (such as the capillaries 14 in FIG. 1). Thepins 30 may be provided in recesses for the two pins that are oppositeeach other in the molded core 24. The ends of the hole 32 may form therecesses for receiving the pins 30.

Exterior mold 26 is a split tool having a main body with upper 33 andlower 35 sections to allow removal of the molded vessel. Orientation ofthe parting line is not critical. For example, the molding tool partingline can be oriented along the length of the vessel or around thelargest diameter of the body. When the pins 30 are used to form thecapillaries, removal of the pins 30 from the capillaries may befacilitated by incorporating stripping plates 36 in the mold thatsupport the ends of the capillaries during the extraction of the pins.The stripping plates ease the tension in the capillaries during pinextraction to avoid breaking the capillaries where they blend into thebody of the vessel. Pins 30 may be fixed to retracting plates 38 tofacilitate pin extraction after molding. The ceramic molding mixture isinjected into the mold though orifice 31 in filling plate 25.

After the molded vessel is formed, the compressed powder shape may bedissolved by removing the pins 30 and then flushing the water throughthe hole 32 to dissolve the compressed powder shape. The hole 32 throughthe compressed powder shape improves the speed at which the powderdissolves by facilitating the flushing action of the water. The diameterof the hole is not critical but is desirably large enough to permitwater to flow and is desirably less than or equal to a diameter of thepins (a hole of 0.028 inches in diameter has been found to be suitable).

As shown in FIG. 4, the step in which the water dissolves the moldedcore 24 may be accomplished in a preferred method by submerging themolded vessel 20 (leftmost vessel shown in cross section) stillcontaining the molded core 24 in a water reservoir 40 having an opening46 in a lower portion 54 of the reservoir 40 below the level of thewater 52. In this embodiment, the molded vessel is oriented with a firstcapillary 14 a inserted through the opening 46 and communicating outsidethe reservoir 40. Water in the reservoir 40 enters a second capillary 14b that is submerged in the water in the reservoir so that the waterflows through hole 32 in molded core 24 and exits the first capillary 14a carrying away dissolved powder into container 50, as shown by thearrows in FIG. 4. A seal 44, e.g., an o-ring or other gasket type, maybe provided at opening 46 to seal against the molded vessel 20. Thereservoir 40 may be further adapted to receive plural vessels 20.

A suitable water flow rate per vessel is about 1 liter per minute. Watermay be returned to the reservoir for recirculation until saturated withthe dissolved powder. The water may also be heated to increase thepowder removal rate, although high temperatures (e.g., over 40° C.) mayadversely affect the molded vessel. In order to improve water flowthrough the molded vessel 20, the container 50 may be mated to thereservoir 40 and connected to a source of vacuum 42, thereby applying avacuum to the first capillary 14 a.

Other methods of dissolving and flushing the powder may be used, such asstatic immersion or repeated dipping of the vessel but these were notfound to be as efficient as the above-described method that employs thereservoir to flush water through the hole in the molded core.

After removing the molded core from the vessel, further processing ofthe vessel may be conventional. For example, debinding, prefiring, andfinal sintering steps may be similar to those used for other ceramicvessels. Unless otherwise indicated, references herein to a ceramicdischarge vessel mean the molded ceramic vessel in its green state,i.e., prior to debinding and sintering.

While embodiments of the present invention have been described in theforegoing specification and drawings, it is to be understood that thepresent invention is defined by the following claims when read in lightof the specification and drawings.

1. A method of molding a ceramic vessel, comprising the steps of: (a)compressing a water-soluble powder into a shape of a chamber of thevessel; (b) suspending the compressed powder shape in an exterior mold;(c) injecting a ceramic molding mixture into the exterior mold to moldthe vessel; and (d) dissolving the compressed powder shape by flushingthe molded vessel with water.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a)further comprises forming a hole completely through the compressedpowder shape, and the dissolving step (d) comprises flushing the waterthrough the hole to dissolve the compressed powder shape.
 3. The methodof claim 2, wherein the dissolving step (d) further comprises the stepsof submerging the molded vessel in a water reservoir with a first one ofthe ends of the hole communicating outside the reservoir, and causingthe water in the reservoir to enter a second one of the ends of the holethat is submerged in the water in the reservoir so that the water flowsinto the second one of the ends of the hole and exits the first one ofthe ends carrying away dissolved powder.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein the water-soluble powder is selected from the group consistingof starch, sucrose, lactose, fructose, sorbitol, mannitol, dextrates anda polyethylene glycol wax.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein thecompressed powder shape has a density of 1.2 to 1.6 gm/cc.
 6. The methodof claim 1, wherein the compressed powder shape has a diametricalcompression strength of 1 to 6 N/mm².
 7. A method of molding a ceramicarc discharge vessel, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a molded corefor the vessel by compressing a water-soluble powder into a shape of anarc discharge chamber of the vessel; (b) suspending the molded core andtwo capillary-forming pins in an exterior mold; (c) forming the chamberand two capillaries by injecting a ceramic molding mixture into theexterior mold; (d) withdrawing the pins from the capillaries; and (e)dissolving the molded core by flushing the molded vessel with water. 8.The method of claim 7, wherein molded core has a hole therethrough andthe capillary-forming pins are each inserted into an end of the hole andthe dissolving step (e) comprises flushing the water through the hole todissolve the molded core.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein thedissolving step (e) further comprises the steps of submerging the vesselin a water reservoir with a first capillary extended through an openingin a lower portion of the reservoir, and causing the water in thereservoir to enter a second capillary that is submerged in the water inthe reservoir so that the water flows into the second capillary andexits the first capillary carrying away the dissolved molded core. 10.The method of claim 7, wherein the water-soluble powder is selected fromthe group consisting of starch, sucrose, lactose, fructose, sorbitol,mannitol, dextrates and a polyethylene glycol wax.
 11. The method ofclaim 9, wherein the dissolving step (e) further comprises applying asource of vacuum to the first capillary.
 12. The method of claim 11,wherein the water-soluble powder is selected from the group consistingof starch, sucrose, lactose, fructose, sorbitol, mannitol, dextrates anda polyethylene glycol wax.
 13. A core for molding a ceramic dischargevessel having a discharge chamber, the core comprising: a molded core ofa compressed, water-soluble powder, said molded core having a shape ofthe discharge chamber.
 14. The core of claim 13, further comprising twocapillary-forming pins extending from the molded core.
 15. The core ofclaim 13, wherein said water-soluble powder is selected from the groupconsisting of starch, sucrose, lactose, fructose, sorbitol, mannitol,dextrates and a polyethylene glycol wax.
 16. The core of claim 13,wherein said molded core has a density of 1.2 to 1.6 gm/cc.
 17. The coreof claim 13, wherein said molded core has a diametrical compressionstrength of 1 to 6 N/mm².
 18. The core of claim 13 wherein the moldedcore has a hole therethrough.
 19. The core of claim 18, furthercomprising two capillary forming pins extending from the molded core,each pin being inserted into an end of the hole.
 20. An apparatus forremoving a water-soluble core having a hole therethrough from a moldedceramic discharge vessel having two capillaries, the apparatuscomprising: a water reservoir having an opening in a lower portion, theopening adapted to receive a first one of the capillaries, and a waterlevel in the reservoir sufficient to submerge a second one of thecapillaries and cause water to flow through the hole and dissolve thewater-soluble core.
 21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein a container ismated to the lower portion of the reservoir and a source of vacuum isconnected to the container.
 22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein theopening has a seal for sealing against the molded vessel.
 23. Theapparatus of claim 20 wherein the water reservoir has a plurality ofopenings, each opening adapted to receive a first capillary of a moldedvessel.